We All Scream For Ice Cream
by You'reMyAllTimeLow
Summary: Iggy, Ella, and Gazzy all destroy Dr. M's car and Max isn't too happy... Better description in the actual story. IggyxElla story  Eggy , some FAX. Rated T for possible things later on. Thanks for reading! Please review.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! So, this is my first fanfiction on this website and I really hope you guys will enjoy it. I worked pretty darn hard on it. :)**

**The story is quite simple. Iggy, Gazzy, and Ella were all screwing around when Gazzy pulled out the explosives. They had pretty much ground Max down to the last straw with blowing up lots of her personal things, but when they made Dr. Martinez's car explode, Max snapped. Here is from that point on…**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own **_**Maximum Ride**_** (sadly).**

**~Iggy P.O.V.~**

"My…_punishment_?" I asked, genuinely confused. "This word is new to me. Would you care to explain it?" I could feel Max's harsh glare burning a hole through my head as my sarcasm didn't go through that thick skull of hers. I groaned. "_Really,_ Max? Is this _really_ necessary?" There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.

"Yes, it is _really_ necessary. Iggy, cars cost money! A lot more than just an alarm clock or bed. You, Gazzy, and Ella all need to apologize to my mom. After that, you and Ella will go job hunting." Her tone of voice was so cruel, each word like an icicle sliding off her tongue. I shivered at the thought. Max was never like this. She usually just gets mad, stays mad for a few days, then replaces what we ruined. This whole "punishment" thing was really weird.

"Oh, come on, Maxy." I nudged her arm. "Just think of it as any other day, when we're blowing up any other old car." I slipped my arm across her shoulders and waved my hands, showing her the big picture. "Simple, right?" She used two fingers to pluck my arm off of her shoulder and I assumed she was shaking her head from the _swishing_ noises coming from her direction.

"No. You and Ella are finding jobs. That's final," she said harshly. I scoffed.

"Well then I guess you're no better than my parents…" Flashbacks of the time I found my parents began to sift through my thoughts. The moment I found out my actual parents had been searching for me, I couldn't help but feel any emotion but extreme happiness. I decided to live with them and I wouldn't see the flock ever again. Or so I thought. They wanted to use me for money. Have me tell me story to the nation, be put in magazines, go on talk shows. I would've been their little robot, doing everything they told me to do. Like that'll happen any time soon. Max is just intimidating.

"Iggy…don't even bring that up. I wouldn't use you for money. This is temporary and it's not like I'm telling you to walk around, telling people that you're blind and have wings." I could hear her voice shaking. "And remember, don't leave us. Ever again. Okay?"

"Are you freaking kidding me? I'm blind! What job could I possibly get legally?" I yelled at her. "Oh and um…where could I even go if I left?" I assumed the yelling attracted Ella into the room because I heard light footsteps and the sweet scent of strawberries filled the air. Her shampoo…don't get me wrong but sometimes I want to steal it just to have the aroma in the room.

"Y-you're leaving?" Ella exclaimed.

"Actually I—" I began to say but was soon cut off by someone practically jumping on me. My air supply was almost cut off from how tight they were hugging. Ella.

"Don't go! I'd miss you too much!" she continued.

"But he—" Max said.

"Max! Tell him not to leave!"

"_Ella!_ He isn't leaving," Max finally said.

"He isn't? Oh, my God, thank goodness." I reached up to cup Ella's cheek in my hand and smiled as her face grew hot beneath my fingers.

"I'm not leaving any time soon. It won't be that easy to get rid of me." I hugged her in return, causing her to relax. The heat was becoming so overwhelming that I wanted to let go of her but some strange feeling just wouldn't let me. That was when Ella tensed up again.

"I-Iggy, you're not wearing a shirt…" she said.

I shrugged and replied, "So?" I felt someone slap my arm. Hard. "What the hell, Max?"

"Can't you see it's making her uncomfortable?" Max said.

"No, actually, I can't. Thank you very much."

"You know what I mean."

I let go of Ella and sighed inwardly when she released me as well. I walked up the stairs slowly to the room Fang and I shared to find a shirt appropriate for the weather. Haha! Never mind. I'll just take whatever I can find. After slipping on the white tank top I heard the window open and someone enter the room. Out of pure instinct, I attempted to punch the person in the face but found my hand caught in someone else's. Their hand felt calloused and masculine which wasn't a good sign. Oh, right.

"Hey Fang," I said.

"Thanks for the greeting," he replied in his usual tone.

"Yup!" I stretched my arms above my head and headed for the door. "Oh. Fang, what time is it?"

"Half past noon," came his voice from the bathroom we also shared. I don't know how he does that. He can usually slink into a room without me noticing. That's pretty amazing considering I have hyper-sensitive hearing.

**~Ella P.O.V.~ (Meanwhile)**

"Max, I think I have a crush on Iggy." I thought maybe it was about time to confess. Her face didn't seem surprised.

"I know," she said flatly. My eyes widened at this statement. She knows? How could she possibly know?

"B-but I never told you! Or anyone!" I was slightly panicked, worried that Iggy also knew. Max simply laughed and patted me on the shoulder.

"Silly Ella. You've been talking about him non-stop when we have those mid-night talks when you can't sleep because you're thinking about him. He's got you bad," Max teased.

"What do you mean 'he's got me'?" I asked.

"His girl obsession. Constantly flirting. But I dunno…I think he actually likes you. And I'm not just saying that because I have to but because I really think he does." Girl obsession? Constantly flirting? Maybe that's why my friends are always talking about him. All he'd have to do is snap his fingers and girls would come crawling at his feet from what I heard. There was a sudden commotion coming from upstairs and I wondered if Iggy was in trouble. Max must've noticed I was looking around, debating whether or not to go check on him because she said, "Don't worry. Fang just sneaks up on Iggy a lot. Hm, he should be used to it though. Oh well."

After a few minutes of silence, I sighed. _Iggy… _How could a guy like him ever like a girl like me? It just doesn't seem to fit. When I cupped my face in my hands, that was the moment I noticed I was blushing. And of course, it would just so happen to be the moment Iggy walked in. I began to cover my face but soon remembered he can't see it unless he touches my cheeks.

"Ready to go 'job hunting,' Ella?" he muttered.

"Wish I wasn't," I whined. And thus, our adventure begins…


	2. Chapter 2

**Sooo…new chappie. :) I hope you like. Oh, and sorry it has such an abrupt ending. I didn't want to make the chapter too long so I chopped part of it off and put it in the next.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride (sadly). D:**

As Iggy and I turned the corner, the faint sound of the ice cream truck song began playing and I searched for it hopefully. I eventually found it at the end of the street we were on.

"Iggy! Can we _please_ take a short break and buy some ice cream?" I pleaded.

"Well, we were heading home anyways, weren't we? So why not?" he replied. I let out a quiet "Yay!" and proceeded to skip down the sidewalk after grabbing Iggy's hand. The ice cream truck wasn't far away by now and I stared at it, practically drooling. The weather was beyond hot that day, practically boiling, and we were both exhausted from hours of searching for work. I glanced back at the tripping Iggy to find him blushing with a confused expression spread across his face. The mere sight of him blushing caused my face to flush a deep scarlet.

When we reached the singing truck, both Iggy and I were out of breath and face-to-face with the rest of the Flock. Nudge took one look at my hand entwined with Iggy's and squealed happily, bouncing up and down, while tapping Angel on the shoulder. Angel turned her head and an adorable smile of approval flashed on her face. _Keep my thoughts to myself…keep my thoughts to myself…_ I thought. _It's no use. I already heard and knew what you were thinking._ Angel laughed in her mental-message. I tried to escape Max's glares sent in my direction by ordering some ice cream. "Hi, could I get—"

"Hey, blondie!" the girl behind the counter of the truck announced. Angel and Gazzy both gave her questioning looks before she continued to say, "Not you guys, sorry. The tall one over there!" Iggy pointed to himself with one eyebrow raised and slowly began walking towards the large, colorful truck. "Yeah, you! Need a job?" _Oh and you just so happened to be asking him if he needs a job…great. _I mentally complained.

"Oh my God, you're our savior. Ella and I have been crawling all over town, looking for someone to give us one. _Yes I need a job_," Iggy drawled. A look of satisfaction grew on the girl's face.

"I could pull some strings to give you one," she twirled her hair between her fingers. Her provocative demeanor made me want to puke.

The moment she had Iggy's undivided attention I decided to step in. I looked directly at the girl and said, "Iggy is blind." I then turned towards the others. "I'm out, guys. Sorry." I spun around and began walking to my house. Someone stopped me by grabbing my arm and I hoped that it was Iggy. _Of course it isn't._ Max gave me a look that could kill.

"You can't just pass up this opportunity. Plus, if you and Iggy are working together, maybe you could help him," she snarled. When I looked over at Iggy and the ice cream girl, jealousy flooded through me. She already had him wrapped around her finger: putting his hand to her cheek, giggling and flirting, her face only inches from his.

"I'd rather not," I said, attempting not to sound angry. "I wouldn't want to get in their way. I'll work at McDonald's or something." I tried to walk away again but someone else grabbed my other arm. It was Angel this time. _Iggy wants you to do this job with him. He's not saying it, but he really wants you to stay._ Angel thought to me. _Well if he wants me to stay, he'll have to come and get me._ I thought back, a bit too coolly.

"Oh, come on! It would be fun!" the girl called from the truck. Every feature of her face screamed, "DANGER," but I ignored the signs with a sense of competition rising in me. I didn't want to accept the challenge, but Iggy did for me.

"Please Ella? It _would_ be fun," he beamed before he was distracted by a hand turning his head. That did it. I couldn't stand to see her like that any longer and just let the words come out.

"Sure. For Iggy," I said innocently. He walked over to me and smiled that cute smile of his. I definitely had a crush on Iggy.

"Well, I guess we'll start tomorrow," he said, waving good-bye to the girl.

"See ya then, Iggy!" She was already sending me bad vibes and we just met. What have I gotten myself into? _Ella, she doesn't look very nice._ I heard Angel's voice. Just to show how brave I was, I walked super close to Iggy. Unexpectedly, he slid his arm across my shoulders and pulled me right up to his body. I smiled and looked down at my feet, praying Max wasn't watching. I wasn't sure what to think because the moment I met him, quietly observing him whenever we were in the same room, I knew he was special. Not just because he was blind and had wings but because he was just so different from anyone else I had ever met. The way he looks, his slightly crooked smile, how he can make any moment brighter. He's indescribable.

I quickly scanned the area, only to see everyone else with their attention on the ice cream they were about to wolf down. When I found no one watching I wrapped my arm around Iggy.

"Well she seems nice," Iggy said cheerfully.

"Nice wouldn't be the word I'd use…" I muttered under my breath. He laughed loudly.

"Is this jealousy I hear?" he teased. _You have no idea…_

"Ha-ha! No way! What makes you think that?" I lied.

Iggy said between a few fake coughs, "Liar."

"Well, you don't know for sure that I'm lying," I said, even though I was. I pulled out my phone to check what time it was and found a few different texts from my friends. They wanted to hang out at the park, but I didn't know if I truly wanted to go. I decided to go and tell them what happened, especially because they know just the right way to cheer me up. "Ah, sorry Ig. I'm about to hang out with my friends. Bye." I smiled brightly up at him, hoping he could tell. When he smiled back, I was pretty sure he could.

"Okay. Bye, Ella." He bent down and kissed my cheek, gave my hair a slight pet, and continued to drag his feet onwards. I stood in the same spot with my hand to my cheek, and tried to sort out what had just happened. _He…kissed my cheek. Wow, I'm overreacting._ My thoughts couldn't wander away from Iggy, no matter how hard I tried. Even though it took me a minute or so, I managed to move forward and head on to the park about two blocks away.

When I actually reached my destination, my 3 best friends were sitting together on one of the play structures staring at me. "What took ya?" asked Danielle, the single person other than my mom and Max that I knew I could trust the most.

"Iggy kissed me," the words came out before I could construct them and make the statement more clear. I climbed up to them and tried to act calm, containing my excitement, shock, and confusion.

"He _what?_" they all said in unison.

"Well, not on the lips, on my cheek. But I've got the biggest crush on him ever, man." I climbed up onto the structure and leaned against a bright red, metal railing.

"Aw! Darn it. We were just talking about him not too long ago. We heard Claire offered you guys jobs," Zoey, my second most trusted friend, said.

"Whoa. Stuff gets around fast these days," I laughed.

"You're only 14 though! How could you get the job a 16-year-old like Claire or Iggy should get?" Ah, Amanda. I love her like a sister and all, but since she used to be in the more "popular" crowd, I tend to worry if she will spread around what I'm saying to her. She seems to be different from all the other girls she used to hang out with, but I'm struggling to trust her. Yeah, yeah, trust this, trust that. Well, in these days, you never know. Besides, I don't live in a particularly…beautiful neighborhood. So with that being said, it should be apparent that you should only have a few people who you'd trust with your life. That's one of the reasons I have such a small amount of friends. I guess I was sitting there with a blank expression for a little while because a hand was shaking my shoulder, pulling me back into reality.

"You okay, Ella? You seem a little pale," Danielle said, sounding worried.

"I'm fine. Tell me more about this 'Claire' girl." I wanted to know who she was, what she was like, how she acted.

"You've got to be kidding me, Ella boo," said Amanda. I shrugged and shook my head so she started talking again. "She's only the single most scandalous 11th grader I've ever met in my entire life. I heard that last year, she got knocked up and aborted the kid. Just because her birth control ran out and she 'didn't want to wait.' Man, you are in one heck of a situation now. I'd suggest keeping Iggy away from her."

"How?" I asked, "How could I possibly keep him away from her when we're all going to be in one ice cream truck?" A chorus of "ooh's" came from my friends.

"That's rough," Zoey said sympathetically.

"Just…try to stay between them or something." The expression on Danielle's face was a mixture of sadness and sympathy. "I liked him before too, but then I found out you did so I just kind of gave up." I felt bad that Danielle backed down from a guy just because she knew I liked him. It made me think I was the cause of some sort of unhappiness for her. Right when I was about to say something back to comfort her, my phone began to buzz in my pocket.

**~End of chapter 2~**

**Review please!:)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Short chappie.:) I hope you like, and I will be posting more very soon, possibly even today. Okay, go ahead and start reading!**

"Sorry, guys, I gotta take this." I touched the green square on the brightly-lit screen that read "answer." "Hello?" I said.

"_Wuuuuzzzzzuuuuuppppppppp?_" came what sounded like two male voices. The sound was so loud that when I took the phone away from my head, my ear was ringing.

"What was that for?" I knew it had to be a few of the Flock members. There was whispering on the other end of the line before someone spoke again.

"Hey Ella, wanna come down to my bedroom? I'm waiting for you~" It sounded like Fang's voice. I felt my blood rush straight up to my cheeks.

"F-Fang? Are you feeling okay?" My voice shook when I spoke. A roar of laughter hummed in my ears, causing me to drop my phone. I quickly recoiled and picked it back up. Only then did I finally catch on to what was happening. "Gazzy and whoever else is pranking me, I can't talk right now! I'm busy."

"Aw but Ella, we all know he's thinking it," a deep yet young masculine voice said. I knew it was Iggy. After a slight rustling, Angel spoke.

"No, actually, he isn't." Someone yelled "Ow!" in the background and another person took the phone. I assumed Angel had slapped Iggy upside the head from the grumbling noises I was hearing.

"You're the sexiest girl alive. Marry me?" someone whispered. It sounded like Iggy again, but it definitely was Gazzy.

"Gasser! I'm going to kill you!" I growled. I noticed my friends laughing and panting, looking as if they were choking. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to the phone call.

"What I do?" Gazzy called. His voice wasn't very clear, indicating he wasn't the one at the phone. My face flushed again.

"_Iggy!_ Ugh, bye guys." I heard a few voices protest before I hung up on them. I was about to say something again when I felt something drop on my head. In the next moment, there was a flash and a crash of thunder following the latter. "Eek!" I fell down beside Danielle and hid my face in her arm. She laughed and glanced down at her white G-shock watch.

"Ah! It's 6:30 already? Sorry guys, I have to go. Later!" Danielle slid down the pole that was the same bright red as any other metal part of the structure.

"Oh, then I guess it's din-din time," Amanda said sarcastically as she rose up. Zoey also stood and sighed. "Zoey's spending the night at my house. You're welcome to come too, Ella boo."

"Nah. I should get home to my mom and the rest of the gang. Thanks anyways!" I said as I strode off. _I wonder what Iggy's cooking for dinner tonight._ Ah, my thoughts were running back to Iggy again. Okay, I think I should start thinking about…work. No, that has to do with Iggy. How about home? No, still has to do with him. Family? Friends? My laptop? He's everywhere! I held my head in my hands as I ran towards my house, careful not to slip, and—oh, I slipped. With a high-pitched scream, I fell to the ground. My temples pounded and I could hear my heart beat. I groaned in pain while rubbing my head and began to stand up, but my knee throbbed, causing me to fall right back down. It had already rained so much that there were small puddles where the earth just barely sunk down farther than everywhere else. The next thing I knew, my mom came rushing out the door with the Flock close behind.

**Much love! Review please.:3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer reminder: I ****do not**** own **_**Maximum Ride.**_

"Are you okay, baby?" she asked. I nodded and watched as she fell down beside me, examining my wounds. "Honey, you're bleeding!" My eyes hurt when I moved them to look down at my bleeding knee. The color red was tinting the puddle just beneath my bottom.

"It's just a scratch, Mom," I said. Even though my vision was slightly blurred from rain dripping into my eyes and the tears that were gathering, the scrape on my knee didn't seem too bad.

"Fang, Iggy, bring Ella inside. Max, get the first aid kit ready. Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, you do what you like just stay inside. It looks like we have a storm coming in fast," my mom told everyone. Various sounds of approval came from each person as she gave them an order. Max darted inside along with the younger ones.

"Really, Mum, I'm fine. I can walk on my own," I said. I pulled myself to my feet and headed towards the house, limping every once in a while. I was soon swept off my feet (literally) by Iggy. Cradled in his arms, I felt far more comfortable than forcing myself to walk. I just wouldn't admit it out loud. Fang was about to help out but he hesitated and he allowed Iggy to carry me on his own.

"You're such a klutz," Iggy murmured. The corners of his lips twitched as if he was trying to smile and fell right back down to the neutral position. I crossed my arms with a scoff.

"It's _just_ a scratch. I don't know why you all are making such a big deal about it," I muttered.

"Just following Dr. M's orders," Iggy said, shaking his head. When I was inside, my mom cleaned and bandaged my wound, gave me some ibuprofen, and told me to rest until dinner was done. I was called down to dinner so I walked out my door after almost tripping over Total.

"Total…" I hissed.

"Sorry," he said, "Didn't mean to get in the cripple's way." Oh, how I wanted to kick him. The steps were a bit of a challenge but I managed. I reached our half-kitchen-half-dining-room where everyone was already seated, except for Iggy and Angel.

"We were just about to go get you," Iggy said with a smile.

"You shouldn't be walking with your knee like that," Angel insisted. I groaned so loud, I hoped everyone could hear it.

"I can walk on my own guys! Really, I'm not that injured." My tone seemed to disturb Angel. _We were just worried when we heard you scream. Especially your mom._ I didn't like the feeling I had just from hearing how hurt Angel sounded.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm not hungry anymore," I said, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. Before anyone could object, I turned abruptly on the balls of my feet and trudged upstairs. My temples were pounding again and I couldn't focus on anything. Thunder continued to boom, lightning continued to flash, rain continued to make a _shhh_ sound on the roof of my house. I loved the rain but hated thunderstorms. They're just so instantaneous and startling. I sat on my bed for a while, curled up around a pillow and afraid. I heard everyone coming up the stairs but a couple stopped in front of my door. My shivering stopped and it seemed as though so did my breathing.

"Dr. M, is it okay if I chill with Ella tonight?" It sounded like Iggy even though it was almost quiet enough for me to not hear. There was a short pause. "You know how she doesn't like thunderstorms."

"I guess…" my mom said hesitantly. "Just no funny business."

"No promises," he teased. After another brief moment, Iggy spoke again in a hushed yell, "Ah, ow! Okay, okay! I give! No funny business, got it." I shuddered, not from disturbance but from a different sensation I couldn't explain. I was starting to think that Iggy had forgotten about staying with me not long before he strolled into my room.

"Hey," he said, hands in his pockets. He was shirtless again, too. My cheeks felt so hot I thought I was about to sweat. Then noticing my own attire, I yelped.

"W-wait! I need to put pants on!" I scrambled off of my bed and almost fell but I was caught by a fast-moving Iggy. He mouthed, "Sorry," and stood me back up. Strangely enough, I was beginning to get used to having a shirtless guy right beside me…or against me for that matter. I pulled myself together, made my way over to my dresser, and put a pair of loose black soccer shorts on. He sighed as he carelessly flopped down onto my bed. "Hey, um, what do you think you're doing?" I blushed.

"Laying down?" Iggy asked sarcastically.

"Well, yeah, but…" I drawled. I wasn't sure what to say because…he really was _just_ lying down. I changed the subject by hopping up onto my bed, leaned against the wall, spread my legs across his, and sat up with my elbows propping me up.

Iggy smiled and yawned, and patting the spot beside him, said, "Pop a squat over here." I shrugged my shoulders slightly then remembered he was blind.

"Maybe," I said slowly. Out of all the wrong decisions I would have been making then, they would all start by moving next to him. I was considering staying in the same spot when I thought of Claire. Flirting with him, lessening my chances. I didn't even want to imagine that type of situation before but now it was a reality. A sudden impulse forced me to shift my position to scoot over to his side. There was a loud crash of thunder and I jumped, clutching onto Iggy's body with my eyes squeezed shut. He began to laugh. "Hey! Don't laugh! I have a good reason to be afraid of thunder storms!"

He continued to laugh. This constant roar of laughter was irritating; I was so distracted by it that I didn't even notice Iggy snaked his arms around my body. His closeness made me shudder. I have never been so close to a guy before that it was making me slightly uncomfortable. He must've mistaken my shudder for a cold shiver because he pulled me even closer to himself and gave his grip a slight squeeze then relaxed again. I peered straight into Iggy's sightless eyes, and, curious about how he felt about this, I searched for anything. The most obvious were happiness and embarrassment; his eyes glimmered and seemed to almost sparkle. I never knew him to be embarrassed around girls… He always seemed so cocky. There was so much more to read in those beautiful blue eyes until all signs of emotion flickered away and his cheeks flushed a light pink.

It seemed as though he was about to say something, but I cut him off with my lips, crashing against his. I didn't know what I was doing. I'm going to have to work on my whole "acting before thinking" problem. But I was surprised to find him kissing me back, every movement synchronized with the other. I mentally rolled my eyes and thought, "He's probably had lots of practice." We broke apart for a moment then soon were brought back together like magnets. He shifted his position so that his body was right next to mine, on the verge of being on top of me. I nudged him with my shoulder, signaling for him to stop. I thought he didn't get the message so I said in a muffled tone, "Stop." Iggy didn't quite seem to hear me. "Stop," I repeated. He pulled away with a slightly embarrassed and upset expression.

"Sorry." He turned his head away from mine and sat up straight. Oh, now I've done it. There go my chances and my shamelessness. He stood up and made his surprisingly swift way to the door. "Um, well, goodnight Ella." I looked down at my lap then right back up when sounds of movement came from the door.

"Wait, no, I'm sorry," I said awkwardly as I returned to my feet as well. I shuffled over to him with my hands clasped together, twiddling my thumbs. "Goodnight," I murmured with one final, innocent kiss. He smiled and gently pet my hair and proceeded to his room. If only he knew…

**AND THERE YOU HAVE IT, YOU SILLY VULTURES! I was feeling lovey dovey when I wrote the end. *trollface* U MAD? *shot* H'anyways, I appreciate you. You readers. If that's how you spell it. Whatever, this is **_**NOT**_** I repeat, **_**NOTTTTT**_** the end. If it was the end, the name would be stupid. P: Kthnxbai.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well, hello there, lovelies! Here's another quick chapter for you. I've been working on it for hours, practically non-stop, so please do enjoy. Go on and read, then!**

I sat in my bed, staring at the ceiling and counting the cracks in it. _I wish he didn't leave… He was the perfect distraction._ A sudden shiver was sent down my spine as a flash of lightening lit up my room; I immediately knew what would come next. I quickly grabbed my pillow from beneath my head and smothered my face with it. The loud crash of thunder still bounced off the walls when I removed the squashed rectangle of feather-filled fabric from my face. I shook my head, trying to think of the sound as a bomb that Iggy and Gazzy set off. _Iggy…_ I thought. I sighed as my mind came to the conclusion of walking to Fang and Iggy's room and to sleep on the couch that stood facing their beds. I crept out my door and down the hall, slinking into the boys' room only to find a light click on and Fang standing beside his bed with his arms crossed.

"Good evening," he said flatly. My eyes widened and my cheeks grew hot.

"H-hey…" I drawled. _Oh, God, this is awkward…_ He shrugged in reply.

"He sleeps like a baby, despite his hearing. If you joined him, he wouldn't notice." Well, look who decides to talk when I least expect it.

"_Whaaaat?_ I wasn't planning on—" I began only to be cut off by Fang's hand raised.

"Maybe you weren't. I'm only suggesting," he said matter-of-factly. I nodded and decided to take up his offer. _Okay, this is still awkward._ A bead of sweat rolled down from my scalp and dripped off of my jaw. _Horrible suggestion. It's as hot as a sauna in here!_ "I'm going for a walk. Tell Max not to freak out in the morning."

"Be careful!" I whisper-yelled as he strolled over to the window sill. His teeth gleamed in the moonlight as he smiled and slightly chuckled.

"Right," he said as he leaped off of the dirty sill. The moment he was out of sight, I tip-toed over to Iggy's bedside and hoped for the best. He was facing me and just as I put pressure down on the bed, his eyes shot open and he pinned me to the wall with a firm grip on my neck. I coughed, choking on each breathe. A cold scowl was spread on his flawless face and his eyes flamed with rage. His expression softened and he released me, holding his head in his hands.

"I'm so sorry, Ella… I didn't know that—"

"Save it, Ig," I said bluntly. I groaned and rubbed my neck where it was just assaulted and proceeded to walk to the couch and sleep there, just as I had planned earlier. My breath escaped my chest all at once when pale arms wrapped around my waist. Iggy's warm breath hit the crook of my neck, causing me to shudder.

"I really am sorry," he insisted. I shook my head and wrenched his arms off of my body.

"And it's really okay. Just go to sleep, Iggy," I replied. Within seconds, I was captured by his arms once more.

"You're afraid. You just don't want to admit it because you know I'd want to comfort you," his breath was swimming around my shoulder. I gave in to his uncanny mind reading.

"Are you picking up Angel's skill or something? It's creeping me out how you can read me like an open book." I turned to face him and returned his awkward hug. He used one arm to scoop up my legs and the other to grip my shoulders as he held me like a princess. Iggy walked to his bed and laid me down, settling in his previous position. He gathered my body up to his and he was soon asleep. I sighed as Iggy's closeness comforted me and blocked out the fear. I slept soundly for one night in my life.

The next morning, I was awoken by someone kissing my forehead. My eyelids fluttered open to find Iggy standing in front of me in a pair of workout shorts along with a "Kiss the Cook" apron dangling around his hips, yet still higher than the shorts. I narrowed my eyes and pulled up his pants. "Don't sag your pants or I won't touch you," I scolded. He laughed and brought the pants back to the latter's position.

"I'll gladly test that," he purred as his head lowered to mine. I rolled over just as his lips were about to brush against my forehead once again. I jumped out of the covers and ran down the stairs, searching for Max. I found her at the kitchen table, reading the paper. I strolled over to her and plucked the paper from her hands to receive a scowl in return. Iggy entered the kitchen not too long after I did.

"Hey Max, mind if I sit here?" I said quickly as I fell down onto Max's lap. I looked down and twiddled my thumbs innocently.

"Well played," Iggy laughed. Max nudged me, and I turned me head to find her giving me a death glare. I smiled as if to say, _Ha-ha um…sorry?_

"Talk," she growled.

"I'll tell you later," I said. I guess I should tell her, or would she kill me? Whatever the case, I will tell her at some point. I glanced at the clock. _11:47 AM…that gives me enough time to get ready for work. We start at 2, right?_ "Max, when does Ig and my shift start?"

"_I'll tell you later_," she said sarcastically. I stared at her icily. She sighed, rolled her eyes, and said, "You start at 1." _One? That only gives me like…an hour!_ I stood up abruptly and walked over to where Iggy was cooking. I grabbed a couple sizzling pieces of bacon with my bare hands and set them down on a plate. Next, I dug through our silverware drawer for a fork then stabbed one of the pancakes and flopped it onto the same white dish. In one swift movement, I spun around, snatched the syrup and poured some sloppily onto the plate. I slammed the syrup down on the counter, causing a small stream of the caramel-colored liquid to shoot up and fall on my hand. I licked it off, grabbed the plate and fork, sat in the chair beside Max, and began to wolf it all down.

"Someone's in a rush," Iggy laughed. I swallowed the mammoth bite I just took of the pancake and threw a small piece of bacon at his head. "And feisty," he added, still looking at the pans in front of him but I noticed his shoulders rising and falling as he silently laughed. I choked slightly on the food in my mouth and my cheeks flushed a deep scarlet. Glancing over at Max, her expression was cold yet I could tell she was stifling a laugh. I growled slightly and rose from my chair. I shuffled over to one of the dark wood cupboards and pulled out a short glass. I opened the refrigerator to grab the milk and filled the glass. I gulped all of it at once, set the cup down, and continued to prepare myself for the day.

The rest of the morning went as usual:

Gazzy was telling another story about what he saw on TV, Nudge was disagreeing with it, Angel was smiling and laughing at it all, Iggy was finishing the cooking, Max was being a straw boss, and Fang sat beside Max—showcasing the perfect example of P.D.A. I showered, put on as little makeup as possible, and got dressed. The next time I looked at the clock, it said 12:45 PM and I made my way down the stairs. "Iggy! I hope you're ready because I'm not waiting up for you if you aren't," I yelled to him. Funny thing is, he was actually right behind me and I was likely to be deafening him.

"Thanks for that. Now I won't be able to see _and _hear," he muttered. I gave his shoulder a slight pat before sliding my hand down his arm and taking his hand into my own. I walked out the door, Iggy trailing close behind. Oh, how I prayed that this moment wouldn't come. The moment I would have to deal with Claire again and sit around as she flirted with Iggy. Just great. The colorful ice cream truck stood just in front of the curb with a rather colorful girl standing in front. Claire's orange-tan skin was glistening in the sunlight and her long, curly, blonde hair billowed in the wind. She put body glitter on? Oh, Lord…

"Hi Iggy!" she said cheerfully, ignoring my presence. As soon as he was within an arm's length away from her, she jumped forward and embraced him in a tight hug. I scoffed and looked away as his arms wrapped around her waist just as they did around mine last night, except from behind. She glanced over at me and grinned. She mouthed the word, "Mine."

**A/N: Dun, dun, dun…! I'll leave it at that for now. I hope you enjoyed! Review please~! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys! I just love writing…a bit too much. This chapter is jam-packed with hateful emotions towards Claire. :D CAN I HEAR A "YES PLEASE!"? Ohoho~ *shot* H'anyways, do continue please.**

At any rate, this day is going to be horrible. Every aspect of this day is just downright awful. The air is so humid that it's practically un-breatheable, dark storm clouds color the sky, and I'm in an ice cream truck with Claire—who is currently sitting in Iggy's lap. No kids would want to be running around outside on a day like this, so it's only understandable that business is extremely slow. We came to an abrupt stop as Claire stomped on the brakes. Oh, and how was she sitting in Iggy's lap while driving, you ask? You know how when you're a little kid and you want to go down the slide at the park with your mommy or daddy? And they have their legs on either side of you? Yeah… It made me want to gag myself with a spoon. "Why'd we stop? No one's coming towards us," I said.

"Because I need a break," Claire snapped. "Iggy, darling, would you like to step out with me?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him, forgetting he's blind, and ran her hand down his arm. He smiled briefly.

"Sure," he said, willingly following her out of the truck. Am I not actually here or something? Does he even _know_ I'm here? My stomach knotted at the pain of the thought that he hasn't even acknowledged my existence since we entered the truck. _He's ignoring me._ The cruel truth seeped into my mind and sent a knife straight through my heart. I decided it would be best if I was upfront with him. Gathering myself back together—stifling the tears and swallowing my sobs—I hopped out of the vehicle. The moment I hit the ground, I wished I hadn't. I found Iggy, his back against the truck and arms around Claire, swapping spit with the single girl I now loathed the most. Gut-wrenching pain surged through my body and I felt like I was about to hurl. Tears welled up in my eyes as I began to speak.

"Am I just practice to you?" I said, my voice shaking. Iggy pulled back and glanced in my general direction, looking at my lips by mistake. A single tear trailed down my left cheek, supposedly a sign that they're tears of sadness. He reached an arm out to me and shimmied his way out from between the truck and Claire, who was now grinning at me.

"Ella, I can explain," he began. He held my cheek in his hand.

"No. _Save it, Ig,_" I said harshly, slapping his hand away and allowing more tears to flow. I'd already started to cry, to show my pain, so why not just let it go? I let Claire have the satisfaction. I pulled out my phone, slid it open, and began to write a text message to Danielle that read:

_Can you meet me at the park? I really need to talk to someone right now… :/_

I hit send and crossed the almost-empty street over to the park. I sat down on one of the many swings and took a quick look back at Iggy. He seemed perfectly content with Claire who was all over him. I squeezed my eyes shut to stop the bitter tears from pouring out. _Why do you do this to me, Iggy? I even tried to look pretty for you…despite the fact you can't see me. But, hey, why have me when you could have an older girl? With more experience…_ I stood up and walked slowly towards the play structure, but the short barrier around the swings, keeping the woodchips inside the area, tripped me. I went tumbling down to my hands and knees, completely embarrassed and distraught. "Ella!" I heard two people shout. One of those people was Iggy and the other was Danielle. My attention was centered on Danielle, considering she wasn't ignoring me not too long ago and I was so glad to see her. She ran to my side, helping me up, and pulled me into a warm hug. I returned her hug except with more force as if her presence could wash away the pain. I stopped swallowing my sobs and just let all hell break loose. "Ella, what happened?" she asked, trying to have me look her in the eye. I motioned for her to turn around; she did as she was ordered.

**Iggy P.O.V. (His side of the story.)**

Ella and I had only been in the truck for, say, around 5 minutes when Claire stopped the car. She's hot and all, but really just not my type yet she wouldn't get the message. I tried to sit somewhere else before…she told me I could drive so I thought, "Yeah! Just like Max never lets me!" Then she _sat on me_ and started driving again. I kept not being able to help but feel like Ella was glaring at me, and I admit, Ella and I have a thing. I don't even _feel a thing_ for Claire. We kept driving, no kids wanted ice cream apparently, and then we stopped, just out-of-the-blue again. I can't bring myself to be mean to a girl, so when Claire asked me to step outside with her, I did. Okay, okay, here's the good part. She shoves me against the truck and tries to make out with me, right? I told her _no._ But she threatens to spread a rumor that I got Ella pregnant and tell everyone that I'm forceful and abusive if I don't kiss her back. Oh, the drama. Honestly I just didn't want anything bad to happen to Ella. Funny thing is, how did Claire know I cared so much about Ella that she'd use her as a threat? And now Ella is crying… Just great. I made the girl I love cry.

Wait…what? Forget I said that last sentence. I heard someone walk by and scoff; I assumed it was Ella's friend. So her friend just got here and—oh, gosh, Ella. What will it take to keep you on your feet? I swear, if I could, I would just stand there and hold you up…like a scare crow! I kid; I kid. "Ella!" I shouted at the same time as her friend. Dang, I've been thinking so much that I didn't even notice that Claire has been kissing me...again. You know what? I don't even care anymore. It just hurts me to hear Ella cry.

**Ella P.O.V.**

"…and now they're sucking face," I concluded my explanation of the situation to Danielle, pointing accusingly at the two of them. I read her expression as one of sympathy and allowed my tears to flow once again as her arms slipped around me. I was so glad to have her there, comforting me at such short notice. Sniffling and holding back tears, I said, "Thanks so much Dani."

"It's no problem at all! I'm here for you, Ella boo," she said, grinning. I flinched at the sound of the nickname Amanda had given me escaping Dani's lips. Had she been picking up on Amanda's mannerisms or just the nickname? Maybe I'm just worrying too much lately. Danielle had been staring at Iggy and Claire for a short while before she turned her head towards me saying, "You know, he seems to be forcing himself to kiss back. He's shaking slightly, too." This was news to me; but, believe it or not, I understood what she was talking about. When he kissed me, I had to stop him before it went too far. With Claire, his head was barely even moving and his arms were stiff around her. I was too paranoid to consider how she always managed to get guys to do things with and/or to her.

"Say, do you know Claire all that well?" I asked while still keeping an eye on the couple pressed against the truck. I saw Danielle nodding shakily out of the corner of my eye and proceeded to say, "How does she get all of her guys?" I looked back at her and her eyes locked with mine. I was going to take this situation apart, piece by piece, and examine it closely.

"My brother told me all about her. The way she tricked him into liking her, doing the unspeakable to him. They were an item, or so he thought. She threatened to ruin me, degrade me, and even pummel me into the ground if he didn't have sex with her." She forced her eyes shut and bit her lower lip so intensely that it drew blood. Her mouth opened and a quiet sound came out until she closed it again. The next time she spoke it was in a whisper. "He got an S.T.D. from her…all because of me. It's my fault. He could've easily thrown me under the bus and let me take the blow. But he's my brother and he wanted to protect me." I sat through the whole story, my eyes wide, and listened to the horrors that Claire hides behind that mask of makeup. What if she did that to Iggy?

"Dani, what if that's what she's been doing?" a sudden pang of guilt weighed down on my chest. I blamed him, not Claire. Now, he's forcing himself to make out with a girl he very likely has no feelings for. Something told me that I should stand up, walk over there, and set that bitch straight. Pardon my language. I listened to whatever it was and strode over to Claire. I tapped her on the shoulder to grab her attention. She turned slightly towards me and raised her eyebrows.

"What do _you_ want?" she spat. With a completely audible grunt, I pulled her away from Iggy and to the other side of the truck. "Geesh couldn't you tell I was busy stealing that hunk of sexiness away from you? He wants me more than you. More than any other girl in the world. Just face the truth, you flat-chested pest." I cringed at her insult, anger rising inside of me. _Flat…chested?_

"Have you taken a look in the mirror lately? Or are you too afraid to see that makeup-covered ape face of yours?" I snarled. Her jaw hung open in shock. _Yeahhhh, that's right. Feel the burn._ After a few seconds, she closed her mouth and rolled her eyes.

"Is that really all you've got? Well, let me tell you something. No matter how hard you might try, no matter how much effort you put forth, no guy, and I mean _no guy_ will _ever_ want to be with such an ugly, flat, stupid girl like you." Okay, I admit it. After that last one, I was just about as motivated as Max when someone or something is threatening to kill her family. Or when Nudge sees a hot pink, floor-length gown at the mall…now that is just scary. I pulled my hand back and slapped her straight across the face. Claire held her red, throbbing cheek in her hand and glared down at me. "Who do you think you are, huh? You interfere with Iggy and I then you pull me aside to fight me?" She shoved me down to the ground, knocking the wind out of me. "I'll give you a fight, then."

_"Bad idea."_ I heard someone say just as they landed behind Claire with a thud. I couldn't see much since my vision was blurred by the rain that was beginning to fall and from the hit my head took from the concrete. The sky was exceptionally gloomy, making the world surrounding me darker than it should be at two o'clock in the afternoon. _"Ella!"_ came a familiar voice. I searched for the source of the voice and found Danielle's silhouette sprinting towards me. After around 5 seconds or so she was by my side, asking if I was okay. I kept nodding every time she asked me if I was alright and turned my attention over to the four more thuds I heard.

"You'd best not have pushed my half-sister down. Hah you don't want to see the consequences," Max said menacingly, cracking her knuckles. I heard Angel giggle after Max's threat. Dani helped prop me up and I felt an overwhelming wave of happiness run down my spine as the Flock, including Iggy, smiled at me. Even Fang managed a smirk. I smiled back at them, showing my gratitude. Claire staggered backwards, obviously terrified. "So, you have two choices. You can either A: admit you shoved her and possibly not get beat up or B: run away and hope for the best. You have 5 seconds to decide." Claire pulled herself together and began to run away…hoping for the best? Iggy approached me, bent down, kissed my forehead—just as he did this morning—and chased after Claire. I began to stand back up and Danielle immediately assisted me, putting my arm around her shoulder, holding me up.

As I slowly made my merry way towards five of the best people in the world I immediately began beaming at them. "Guys!" I shouted. I slipped my arm off of Danielle's shoulder and grabbed her hand, leading her towards the flock. When I reached them, the task at the top of my to-do list was to pull Max into a hug and thank her, no matter how much she hated it. She stiffened as soon as she was captured by my arms but awkwardly raised her arms and gently returned the favor. "I don't know how to thank you guys," I said happily. I let out a loud _oof_ sound as three young kids attacked me. Well, not necessarily attack, but hug, rather.

"That was awesome! Max was all, 'Don't push my half-sister!' and that ugly chick was like, 'Oh my God, oh no! Don't kill me!' Max you were boss!" Gazzy shouted in my ear, causing them to ring; yet, when he quoted—or rephrased would be a better word for it—the two girls, his reputation for being the mimicking master did not fail him. "And then Iggy! Oh, dang, where is that big ol' guy anyways?" I was surprised that the Gasman was the one doing all the talking. Although, Nudge did look as if she was trying to hold in whatever she might have wanted to say, but she stopped being polite and interrupted Gazzy, babbling on and on about how cool Max was. I just stood there; glad to see everyone so happy…and not covered in scratches and bruises.

I glanced over at Danielle, smiling, and noticed her confused expression. "Oh, Danielle, I'd like you to meet the flock," I began, and as I gestured to each person I said their name, "Max, Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, Fang…" Looking in the direction Iggy had just ran off, I laughed, "And the notorious White Knight." Even though she just looked extremely confused, Dani smiled.

"I already knew that. They went to school with us not too much longer than two weeks ago," she pointed out. I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment, remembering they enrolled in my school and shadowed people. "But to be honest, I didn't know of Angel or Gazzy. It's nice to meet you." She yawned briefly and glanced at the white G-shock watch she wears every day. "Ah, excuse me. I'm sorry, Ella, I have to get back home and sleep." I rolled my eyes as I thought, _What a lame excuse._

"Dani, really? It's only around 2:05 in the afternoon. What's the rush?" I wondered. Although, Dani may be well known around the school, but she's actually quite shy. "Hang around for a while," I said loudly, then continued in a whisper, "I'm sure Iggy made some friends…maybe friends like _Bryce Crawford._" She clapped her hands over her mouth and raised her eyebrows in shock. Danielle frowned at me with that "I'm disappointed in you" look on her face.

"How did you know?" she said in the same tone-of-voice except more angrily. I grinned and stole a glance at Angel who was smiling innocently. _You were bound to find out sooner or later,_ Angel sent me her mental message. Gosh, I can't believe I'm still getting used to this whole "special powers" thing. You'd think that after living with them for months, I would just accept it as something abnormal for, well, normal people and get the hang of it. But, hey, I mean…I'm _Ella._ That just wouldn't do, would it? When I didn't reply, she continued to say, "Anyways, I admit that was a lame excuse, but truth be told, I'm really about to go hang out with that certain someone right now." I coughed, showing my disbelief. She would never hang out with a guy alone unless she was dating them.

"With who?" I asked. She frowned again but this time in defeat.

"Amanda."

"That's a bad idea."

"How so?"

"You know how she is around guys."

Danielle muttered, "Yeah, well, I have no one else to take now that you're always with Iggy, doing God-knows-what…" Ouch. She never showed me this side of her before. And not to mention the fact that Max is going to be on my back about this now, monitoring my every freaking move and making sure I'm as clean as a nun. Well, the plan was to tell Max tonight about it, and looks like that'll have to be carried out a lot sooner than expected. Oh, and not to mention that she could take _Zoey_ who has a boyfriend and no reason to flirt.

I was going to say something smart back, but that was the very moment Iggy came jogging back while rubbing his cheek. "Hey, Ig, what happened?" I automatically took up the opportunity to change the subject. He looked up so that we could see his closed eyes and wrinkled brows, a guilty smile carefully tugging at the corners of his lips. "Iggy, what…happened?" The suspense was eating me alive as he simply stood there, still awkwardly rubbing his cheek. I stood up too fast, making me stumble, and walked towards Iggy with determination. "Dude, don't just stand there an—" just as I was saying this, he grabbed the back of my neck and planted a firm, possessive kiss on my lips…right in front of everyone. I flailed my arms slightly then positioned my hands on his chest; but, mind you, I did break us apart for a moment...until he forced my lips against his. _What's up with him?_ I mentally complained, trying to push him away. Well, actually, I'm not complaining… "Don't—change—the—subject!" my muffled voice came from between Iggy's amazingly accurately placed kisses.

"Ewww, gross! Iggy, that's nasty, man…" The Gasman's voice chimed in. Iggy's hand remained on the back of my neck even as he peeked around my head to "look" at Gazzy.

"You jelly?" he teased. The Gasman's face flushed as Iggy's troll remark sunk in. I, myself, was slightly repulsed. A 10-year-old had a crush on me…just what I needed. In case you couldn't tell, that was sarcasm.

"No, no, no, this won't do," I said, struggling to escape his hold and simply ducked, forcing his hand to slip off of me. When I turned around, I couldn't find Danielle anywhere and I was pretty sure she had left me to go hang out with Amanda and Bryce. But thankfully, I was mistaken. I turned back around to find her pulling Iggy away and asking about what happened and for the whole story. "W-wait! I want to know, too!" I whined. Iggy walked in front of me and grasped my shoulders.

"I'll explain it to you later, okay?" he said. It was more of a statement than a question, and quite frankly, no matter how much the suspense was gnawing at my gut, I would listen. That takes a lot.

With a slight huff I said, "Fine. You will explain later." As I walked away, I was muttering to myself about how this better be good and worth the wait. I began to make my merry way back home, jumping into every puddle I saw, and embracing my inner 5-year-old. Hey, don't get me wrong; it's hard not to sometimes. Being the fumbling idiot I am I decided it would be a nice time to take a stroll through the dense woods behind my house. I'd always taken a liking to them for whatever reason, and I basically knew them like the back of my hand. I hopped along through my puddles and soon found myself at the beginning of the acres of trees. Taking one good glance at it, the forest seemed to be the most horrifying place you could ever set foot in. Just how I like it! I stepped into the freshly moist woods and took a whiff of the wonderful scent of drenched greenery. But that wasn't the only thing I could smell. Ever so faintly, the air was tainted by a smoky aura.

**A/N: Roarrrrr. I just didn't want to put anything else…that would ruin the surprise! o; Terribly sorry, chaps. I just thought you'd want to see another chapter because obviously I have such eager readers! *crickets chirping* Ah, um, *ahem* never mind. Well, ta-ta for now, my lovely readers! 3 Review please! 3**


	7. Update

Hey, guys. Sorry, no, this is not a chapter, but I'm currently working on chapter 7. My USB malfunctioned and all of my work in this one folder, which included my "journal", is inaccessible. Along with that, I've got some personal things going on in my life, and I'm just really having a hard time concentrating. So, please, don't badger me about getting chapters out because I just…can't, okay? I hope you understand. I'll write tonight and see if I can get the next chapter out tonight. I can't sleep so it might happen.

Alright, bye guys.


	8. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the wait, guys. :/ I just haven't been in the Eggy mood lately. I'm trying, though, because **_**I'm so fucking done with not finishing anything.**_** I will finish this story. Just watch out, cursing is one of my languages and I will probably be adding a little more of it. Don't worry; I know when it's excessive. Alright, go on and read.**

I wandered deeper into the dense woods, following the smoky scent. I couldn't quite put my finger on how there could possibly be any fire in such a sodden area. Unless it was like the burning bush from the Bible or some shit like that. As I continued to walk, hopping over logs and underbrush, the sun sunk farther below the horizon. Having the distracted young mind that inhabits my skull, I hadn't even noticed I was walking for _hours_ on end, searching for something that might not even be there. "Maybe I should go back…" I muttered to myself, and just as I was about to turn around, I saw it. There was a small campfire crackling and whipping its dangerous flames around with no one to tend to it but the tent that was dangerously close. How peculiar. "Hello? Is someone here?" I called only to receive no reply. I patiently waited a couple more moments and a young boy, around my age, stepped out of the tent, groggily rubbing his eyes and yawning dramatically. The moment he noticed me, he blinked a couple times then grinned.

"What brings a beautiful girl like you deep into the woods?" he asked, looking me up and down. His previous actions made me uncomfortable, causing me to fidget with the bottom of my tee shirt. My face slowly grew hot as I replied.

"I was just on a walk. I know this forest like the back of my hand. What brings _you_ here?" It was strange that a teenage boy was living alone in the woods behind my house; I never noticed his campsite before. He must have gotten here just recently.

"Uh-huh. Well, my pretty lady, I'm just getting away from home for a while. No need to mind me. But I am curious about you…" The boy raised an eyebrow, still grinning, and stepped a little bit closer, too close for comfort. My face flushed a red tone again and I shuffled a couple paces away from him. "What's your name?"

"How about I come back tomorrow? I'd best be getting home. Iggy's making steak tonight." I grinned at the thought of Iggy, gracefully preparing dinner, not missing a single thing by an inch. He really is amazing. The boy nodded his head, causing his long, chocolate colored hair to fall in front of his bright green eyes.

"Do you promise to come back?"

"Promise."

"Alright, see you tomorrow then, beautiful stranger." His constant compliments were somewhat comforting yet, at the same time, setting me on edge. I wasn't used to someone calling me pretty or beautiful and I found it rather adorable. I had to get away from this guy. I had Iggy. I didn't need some random, charming stranger who's living behind my house. I smiled and nodded, turning to walk away. I began making the long journey back to my house as it got even darker out, practically pitch black. The woods would always creep me out at night and I found it getting harder and harder to concentrate on getting back but more on the creepy crawly creatures that were prowling in the dark. A sudden chill rattled down my spine as reality sank in. It was night in a not particularly "good" area and I was a teenage girl, all alone. The sudden realization made my mind scream at my feet to run, but just as I began to do so, I slammed right into a tall, thin figure. The both of us tumbled to the ground.

"Ow… Sorry, person," I muttered. I looked up to find Iggy groaning and rubbing his own chest.

"Found you," he exclaimed cheerfully, jumping to his feet and walking to where I was. He scooped me up, holding me bridal style. "We were worried about you, so I volunteered to go look for you. I mean, I couldn't really _look _for you, but you're easy to find…You make so much noise." He chuckled after the last part.

"Let's go home. You have some explaining to do, mister." I frowned, clinging onto his neck as he ascended into the air, carefully dodging tree branches. He directed his sightless gaze down to "look" me in the eyes. The way he could do that with such precision never ceased to amaze me. _He_ never ceased to amaze me. Snuggling up closer to him, I closed my eyes and allowed a smile to tug at the corners of my lips. Apparently I fell asleep on the short flight home since Iggy was nudging me to consciousness, smirking down at my exhausted figure. My eyes blinked open and I glanced downwards then quickly back up at Iggy's face. I'm terrified of heights.

"We're about to head down. Hold on tight," he warned. I clung to him like no other as he began the merciless dive towards the rough terrain of my backyard. I had never actually gone on a flight with any of them since Max didn't trust any of her hooligans to carry me, despite my mother's approval, so this was a completely different experience for me. The sudden rush of adrenaline was exhilarating and exciting, distracting me from the fast-approaching ground. And then…_fwoosh_. His wings snapped open, catching the air before the splat.

When the seemingly never-ending freefall was over I could hear the distinct thump of my heart thrumming in my ears, the beat rather rapid and somewhat panicked. The thrill of it all was really catching up to me. Once I had enough time to recollect myself I staggered forward in an attempt to reach the back door. Iggy must have heard the uneven amount of steps, I assumed, since he placed a gentle hand underneath my elbow to steady my walking. My feet finally began to gain purchase beneath my weight and push me onwards, with Iggy's help of course. In that moment, I knew it was right. Now, you see, I know what you're probably thinking. 'What was right?' I'm correct, no? Well, I knew that Iggy was right. The way he was so gentle yet sure of everything he did, especially given the fact that he was blind. He would protect anything he loved and cared about to the best of his ability and maybe even fall apart if that particular thing he was protecting was harmed or taken from him.

Nothing else mattered. Not what was sitting on the dinner table, not the boy in the woods, not Claire, nothing. Just him. And so, my story is complete. The story of how I conquered all evil. Well, not necessarily, but who cares about the details? I won.

**Unexpected ending, eh? I'm sorry if it wasn't what you expected or hoped for, but I wanted this story done. I'm leaving the ending kind of open for you to decide. I could possibly write an epilogue. In fact, if you all so wished, I could have a contest. Yeah, I think I'll do that. I'll see how many entries I get.**

**Okay! So, here's what's gonna go down:**

**Think of an amazing idea for an epilogue, based on what you want to happen.**

**Leave a review for me on this story or send me a private message explaining your idea.**

**One "lucky" winner will have their idea starring in the epilogue of this story.**

**Rules:**

**Don't veer too far off of the storyline. I don't know if I'll want to write it if it's about rainbows and sex and narwhals. Okay, maybe I will, but that's beside the point.**

**If you want there to be sex, I don't know if I'll have the guts to post that. Yes, I can write smut, but I'll be like, "What if someone I know personally sees this… What if my sister sees this and never looks at me the same? WHAT IF THERE'S A GOD AND HE READS THIS?"**

**Get creative! If you see other people's ideas and you're like, "Oh, that's cool!" When something is cool, that **_**does not **_**give you the right to copy it.**

**Make sure it isn't **_**overly**_** elaborate… It should fit into one chapter.**

**Have fun! Utilize the characters correctly! It doesn't have to be about ice cream!**

**Okay, thanks guys. c: You can choose to help me… Or you can choose not to… :c**


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